Iran starts construction on $2 billion nuclear power plant Karoon, state media says300-megawatt site in oil-rich Khuzestan province, near western border with Iraq, will take eight years to buildIran on Saturday began construction on a new nuclear power plant in the country’s southwest, Iranian state TV announced, a day after the international nuclear watchdog said Tehran had tripled its capacity to enrich uranium to 60 percent purity.The announcement of the new plant came as Iran is rocked by nationwide anti-government protests that have challenged the country’s theocratic government and began after the death of a young woman in police custody.The construction site’s inauguration ceremony was attended by Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s civilian Atomic Energy Organization, who first unveiled construction plans for Karoon in April.pic.twitter.com/U1ZK3sxXVu— Abas Aslani (@AbasAslani) December 3, 2022The announcement of Karoon’s construction came less than two weeks after Iran announced it had begun producing enriched uranium at 60% purity at the country’s underground Fordo nuclear facility.Iran still would need to design a bomb and a delivery system for it, likely a months-long project."